VZCZCXRO6208
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHBUL #1748/01 1860817
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050817Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9945
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001748 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PINR PREL PTER AF
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION CANDIDATES TELL NSA JONES SECURITY AND 
GOVERNMENTAL CORRUPTION ARE THE KEY ELECTION ISSUES 
 
¶1.  In a June 23 meeting with National Security Advisor 
General Jones and Ambassador Eikenberry, leading opposition 
candidates Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Dr. Ashraf Ghani, and Mr. 
Mirwais Yasini cited security, corruption, good governance, 
the role of women, and economic development as they key issue 
for the Afghan elections.  All three candidates agreed that 
President Obama's Cairo speech had been well received by the 
Afghan public. 
 
Key Political Issues in the Campaign 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  Ghani cited security, corruption, governance, and the 
dysfunctional justice system as the key issues for the 
election.  He claimed the gap between the people and GIRoA 
was growing.  People were turning to the Taliban for 
administration of justice because the Taliban offered swifter 
justice than GIRoA.  Cases were typically heard by a single 
Talib who rendered his decision on the spot and ensured 
immediate compliance.  Under GIRoA's formal justice system, 
however, cases dragged on for years.  People paid bribes just 
to have them heard, and favorable decisions were often 
bought.  Ghani asserted the people would see another Karzai 
administration as continuity of bad policies and the 
continued decline of effective government. 
 
¶3.  Yasini believed the top political issues in the election 
would be: 1) rule of law; 2) national development; 3) 
institution building; and 4) ethnic community leaders willing 
to trade their support for personal power. 
 
¶4.  Abdullah believed the key issues would be: 1) security; 
2) rule of law; 3) unemployment (there are 80,000 graduates 
from Afghan high schools each year, 60,000 of which cannot 
get into university); 4) conduct of Afghan and Coalition 
Forces (CF) military operations; and 5) reconciliation. 
 
Role of Women 
------------- 
 
¶5.  The three opposition candidates also discussed the role 
of women in Afghan society.  In his campaign, Ghani intended 
to focus on jobs, education, property rights, and expanding 
the role of women officials and legislators in government. 
He believed women could prove a powerful voting bloc in this 
election.  Yasini intended to focus his message to women 
voters on the issues of proportional representation in 
government, empowerment of women in the political process, 
and establishment of women's health clinics.  Abdullah echoed 
his colleagues' points. 
 
Economic Development 
-------------------- 
 
¶6.  Of all the candidates, Ghani articulated the most 
detailed economic development plan.  Ghani believed there 
were opportunities for sustainable economic growth in six 
areas: 1) agriculture, which had been neglected in recent 
years; 2) animal husbandry; 3) mining; 4) water management 
and distribution; 5) urban construction; and 6) 
telecommunications.  Ghani asserted that Afghan water sources 
produced 80 billion cubic feet of water per year, of which 
the Afghans only used 20 billion cubic feet.  If Afghanistan 
harnessed its water through riparian right negotiations and 
hydro-electric production, he believed Afghanistan could be a 
net-exporter of electricity within 10 years. 
 
¶7.  Yasini advocated accepting an earlier offer by the Gulf 
countries to provide work permits to 100,000 Afghans.  He 
called for harnessing and diverting water to populated and 
agricultural areas.  Finally, he argued for forcing foreign 
construction operations, both NGOs and private companies, to 
stop importing labor, and require them to use local labor 
(much like the Arabization programs of some Gulf nations). 
 
¶8.  Abdullah echoed Ghani's views on the agricultural sector, 
and Yasini's views on "Afghanization" of jobs in the country. 
 He regretted the need for skilled labor had led companies to 
bring in thousands of Pakistani and other foreign national 
laborers.  Establishing training programs for Afghans would 
help address unemployment problems, promote infrastructure 
development and reduce the need for foreign labor. 
 
POTUS' Outreach 
--------------- 
 
¶9.  The candidates all agreed that POTUS' Cairo speech had 
been an important step in improving U.S. relations with 
Muslim countries.  Ghani believed the speech had set the 
stage for what was happening in Iran, and possibly affected 
Lebanon's elections.  Yasini praised POTUS' use of the 
Quranic quote, saying it showed good will towards Muslims. 
 
KABUL 00001748  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶10. NSA Jones has not cleared this cable. 
EIKENBERRY